1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a setting device which is suitably used in a system for controlling many load devices, for example, in an illumination control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a system for controlling many load devices such as the illumination control system, a control system is commercially used wherein a load control terminal including a relay for actually controlling a load device, and a plurality of the operation terminals such as a wall side switch are connected to a control unit via a communication line, and said control unit drives the load device through a corresponding load control terminal, or the plurality of load control terminals in response to the operations of each of the operation terminals, thereby various controls of the load device may be performed. For example, in the illumination control system, a separate control which enables each wall side switch to control turning on and off of one corresponding illumination device or a plurality of illumination devices, a group control which controls turning on and off of one corresponding illumination device or a plurality of illumination devices that are divided into a group per a group, and a pattern control which changes the lighting pattern according to the outside brightness can be performed by setting arbitrarily the corresponding relationships between each of the operation terminals and the load control terminals.
But, it is necessary to set a load device for a target of control such as a separate address of the separate control, a group number of the group control, and a pattern number of the pattern control into each of the operation terminals in order to realize various controls. On the other hand, it is necessary to set the corresponding relationships between each of the operation terminals and the load control terminals such as the load device corresponding to a group 1, and the load device corresponding to a pattern 1 into the control unit.
Therefore, conventionally, the setting device which is required for the setting operation is disclosed, In the Patent Reference 1, an integral setting device of a load control data which allows a load address setting, and a pattern/group setting to be performed easily and simultaneously is disclosed. Further, In the Patent Reference 2, a wireless switch is disclosed in which an addressable remote controller is formed as a shape which is same to the standardized plated so that it may be used as a general wall side switch.
(Patent Reference 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open NO. 2000-115865
(Patent Reference 2) Japanese Patent Laid-Open NO. H04-233895
In all the previous technology, an infrared ray remote controller is used for setting the load devices into each of the operation terminals which are arranged on an arbitrary wall side. The Patent Reference 1 includes a function to set a pattern/a group as well as a function of an infrared ray remote controller by connecting to a control unit. But, the wire connection to the control unit is not described in detail, but it is judged that a terminal connection to a communication line drawn from the neighborhood of the operation terminal is established. Therefore, in the pattern/the group setting, there is a troublesome problem that a plate of the wall side must be removed and a communication line has to be drawn out. Further, if the setting is performed, there is a shortcoming that it is not possible to manage a remote controller which is not used in the outside places because of the change of the room or the change of the seasons, and thereby it is vulnerable to the missing.
In the Patent Reference 2, a remote controller is accommodated into a wall side, and is used as a wall side switch by mounting it on the wall side. But, in the Patent Reference 2, only the fact that a remote controller is accommodated into the wall side is described. On the other hand, in case of this setting device, in connection with the operation terminal which is arranged on an arbitrary wall side of the indoor room, since the control unit is arranged at a remote place such as a management room or an electricity-division room, there was a troublesome problem that the person had to go to the place in order to set the parameters with a remote controller.